Get Digital with Your Dental: Why to Take the Paper-Free Plunge

Peace out, paper! Along with pagers and LaserDisc players, paper bills and statements are (practically) in the past. In a world where Facebook photo albums are more prevalent than polaroids, companies are now mimicking the digital model.Paperless statements are predicted to reach 8.6 billion by 2017, according to an Infotrends study.

So what if you prefer an old-fashioned hardback book to an e-reader? Or a pen and paper over a Word doc and laptop? We get it—the change isn’t easy for paper people. Here are a few reasons to convince even the biggest loose-leaf lovers:

• Because your personal information will be safer.

Almost 85% of identity theft cases are due to paper trails, according to Javelin Strategy and Research. This includes mailed transactions, stolen bills, statements and lost checkbooks. Electronic accounts provide real-time updates, so you can discover account fraud faster.

• Because a digital database is easier to manage than a mess of papers.

Bury the paper before it buries you! And nix the shredder because everything you currently get on paper is available online. Access your ID card, eligibility, claims and more. You can still print what you need when you need it.

• Because the environment will love you for it.

• Because opening mail should be exciting.

Getting a claims summary from your insurance company is as exhilarating as receiving a pre-qualified credit card offer. Save snail mail for the good stuff—like hand-written cards, party invites and celebrity gossip magazines.